Discussions By Condition: I cannot get a diagnosis.

Oily scalp, scalp pimples, dandruff and excessive hair loss...???...

I have all of these issues and have gone to my hormone doctor (andochrinologist, hope I spelled that correctly), and gynecologist to rule out hormonal factors such as high or low testosterone levels or sensitivity to certain hormones and all other hormonal factors and also to rule out PCOS, cysts and other diseases which can cause all of these issues. All of my doctors have said that everything is fine with me...none the less my hormone doctor prescribed metformin for something to do with the pancreas which he didn't put much effort into explaining to me.

My scalp/hair gets oily after just one day and I always have to shampoo twice while in the shower to get rid of all of the debri/oil. I have a seriously itchy scalp with tons of scalp pimples that cause pain and irritation all over my scalp and I lose atleast 2-3 handfuls of hair during each shower and generally lose 1-2 handfuls of hair while brushing, or just throughout the day. I have taken hair, skin and nail vitamins which contain loads of proteins and amino acids but that has not helped. My hair used to be very full and thick and is now very thin and in some places like on the back of my scalp it is falling out.....I can feel the difference when I run my hands through my hair.

I am only 19 years of age, I have gotten thermal reconditioning (from a very good salon) and also dye my hair occasionally. These issues are from before I got any of these procedure done. I do not feel that these have caused the issues...in fact I am confident that they haven't because I've seen the problems before I've done anything of the sort to my hair.

I also have very rough facial skin for a women and my finger and toe nails are yellowish. I used to have serious acne on my back, chest and face but that is all resolved (on its own).

I am Pakistani in heritage and have hyperpigmentation issues all over my body, also have excessive hair growth all over my body (including facial,chest,abdomen,upper and lower back...everywhere except on hands and feet), for which I am undergoing laser hair removal treatments at the American Laser Center. I credit the laser treatments to a resolve of most of my body and facial hair issues, and some of my hyperpigmentation issues.

I am putting all of this information into this post because I feel the more information the merrier when looking for a diagnosis.

Please help me find the cause....my life is already much too complicated to have to deal with a new issue every day. I have searched and searched and asked and asked every doctor I can about my problems and the only answer I get is....it's all in your mind...or it will fix itself.

42 Replies:

As far as your oily hair goes, that is a sign of B vitamin deficiency. You may want to try taking fish oil everyday. Also, the vitamin Biotin may help with the hair loss. I would see a dermatologist and a trichologist (doctor who specializes in hair.) Do you have irregular periods? ask your gynocologist about Polycystic ovrian sydrome. It can cause many of the symptoms you are describing.

Well, I checked for all of the symptoms of Lyme and only had about 13 whereas a "possible" Lyme diagnosis started at at least 20 symptoms.I don't really know about the EMR issues, as I've always been a technology lover an am always in front of my computer almost 24/7. Even sleep with my laptop on, next to me on my bed. And I've also been months without it and still had the exact same hair loss and such. If that was the case I should have constant nausea or just the feeling of not being well. I've never felt any sort of problem with this. Also, I just recently went 5-6 months without putting any chemicals in my hair so I doubt thats the problem. Since nothing in me (my mind) is letting me gravitate towards any of these two issues....because of the lack of "agreement" they can possibly have with the behavior if my own symptoms, I believe that none of these are "the one".As far as the other replies go:PCOS....I've already had that checked and was cleared of it. But I think I'll go back again and get another one done...all of my symptoms fall into this category...I don't care what the doc says.Vitamin B deficiency eh? hmm...could be a possibility seeing as no matter how much vitamin B I've taken I've never gotten the "flush" everyone talks about....even when it's way above the recommended level that makes everyone sick.If the gynecologist clears me again for pcos then I'm definitely going to a dermatologist.....and maybe even a trichologist.Thanx everyone for your replies. You've all been very helpful. Any more thoughts are still very welcome. :D

My scalp/hair gets oily after just one day and I always have to shampoo twice while in the shower to get rid of all of the debri/oil. I have a seriously itchy scalp with tons of scalp pimples that cause pain and irritation all over my scalp and I lose atleast 2-3 handfuls of hair during each shower and generally lose 1-2 handfuls of hair while brushing, or just throughout the day. I also have very rough facial skin for a women and my finger and toe nails are yellowish. I used to have serious acne on my back, chest and face but that is all resolved (on its own). I am Pakistani in heritage and have hyperpigmentation issues all over my body, also have excessive hair growth all over my body (including facial,chest,abdomen,upper and lower back...everywhere except on hands and feet), for which I am undergoing laser hair removal treatments at the American Laser Center. I credit the laser treatments to a resolve of most of my body and facial hair issues, and some of my hyperpigmentation issues.Causes of hair loss, pimples on head, and rough skin:thyroid disease such as hypothyroidismvitamin deficienciesadrenal insufficiencyother causes Hirsutism is the name for excessive body hair. It is most often due to inherited causes. Middle Eastern, Russian, and southern European women often have more hair than women of other ethnic origins.Hirsutism may also be due to hormone imbalances, which can have several causes: • polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) is a common condition that is often linked with obesity and abnormal menstrual periods • Cushing syndrome, a condition in which there is too much of a hormone called corticosteroid in the blood • certain tumors that can occur in the pituitary gland, the ovary, and adrenal gland. The pituitary gland is located inside the skull and is attached to the brain. The two adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. Both glands secrete sex hormones and hormones that are important for metabolism. • some medications, such as oral contraceptives, testosterone or steroids, which can cause hormone imbalancesHyperpigmentation can be a sign of adrenal insufficiency.

Blaze:ouch....nice way to put it so coldly ;). You know, your right...I was sort of trying to avoid it because of how it wouldn't suit me because of my laptop. I'm going to get checked out for both Lyme and the EMR's when I go for my next checkup. Sorry.....and thanx.Thank you Dxd for your post. My hirsutism is certainly not genetic or heredetary because all the women in my family are generally hair free. Even the men have less hair, we actually make fun of it.

Forget Lyme.... you don't have it. Blaze tells everybody pretty much the same schmuck.... Well, I checked for all of the symptoms of Lyme and only had about 13 whereas a "possible" Lyme diagnosis started at at least 20 symptoms. I don't really know about the EMR issues, as I've always been a technology lover an am always in front of my computer almost 24/7. Even sleep with my laptop on, next to me on my bed. And I've also been months without it and still had the exact same hair loss and such. If that was the case I should have constant nausea or just the feeling of not being well. I've never felt any sort of problem with this. Also, I just recently went 5-6 months without putting any chemicals in my hair so I doubt thats the problem. Since nothing in me (my mind) is letting me gravitate towards any of these two issues....because of the lack of "agreement" they can possibly have with the behavior if my own symptoms, I believe that none of these are "the one". As far as the other replies go:PCOS....I've already had that checked and was cleared of it. But I think I'll go back again and get another one done...all of my symptoms fall into this category...I don't care what the doc says. Vitamin B deficiency eh? hmm...could be a possibility seeing as no matter how much vitamin B I've taken I've never gotten the "flush" everyone talks about....even when it's way above the recommended level that makes everyone sick. If the gynecologist clears me again for pcos then I'm definitely going to a dermatologist.....and maybe even a trichologist. Thanx everyone for your replies. You've all been very helpful. Any more thoughts are still very welcome. :D

Could be an illness affecting your liver; pancreasHave you went to a liver specialist or GI dr.? Get a new dr... the hirsutism, pancreas disorder, not in your mind. Could be a genetic metabolic disease. Or a tumor? Can you go to a medical school in your area for a full work up??? You probably have a more complicated case I suspect... so you may need to go to a good medical school. Are you close to Mayo? Or another world reknown center for rare diseases? Look into porphyria ... http://www.porphyriafoundation.com/about_por/types/index.htmlList of symptoms of Porphyria:The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Porphyria includes the 46 symptoms listed below: Urine color changesDarkened urineNerve complication symptomsChest painAbdominal painMuscle crampsMuscle weaknessHallucinationsSeizuresDepressionAnxietyParanoiaHigh blood pressureRapid pulseFeverSkin complication symptomsSkin blistersSkin itchingSkin swellingSun sensitivityPhotosensitivityParesthesiasHair growth abnormalitiesSkin pigment changesGastrointestinal upsetAbdominal painVomitingNauseaConstipationSkin symptomsNeurological symptomsBlistersItchy skinSkin swelling on exposure to lightChest painAbdominal painLimb painBack painMuscle numbnessVomitingConstipationPersonality changesMental disordersTinglingParalysisCrampingI have all of these issues and have gone to my hormone doctor (andochrinologist, hope I spelled that correctly), and gynecologist to rule out hormonal factors such as high or low testosterone levels or sensitivity to certain hormones and all other hormonal factors and also to rule out PCOS, cysts and other diseases which can cause all of these issues. All of my doctors have said that everything is fine with me...none the less my hormone doctor prescribed metformin for something to do with the pancreas which he didn't put much effort into explaining to me. My scalp/hair gets oily after just one day and I always have to shampoo twice while in the shower to get rid of all of the debri/oil. I have a seriously itchy scalp with tons of scalp pimples that cause pain and irritation all over my scalp and I lose atleast 2-3 handfuls of hair during each shower and generally lose 1-2 handfuls of hair while brushing, or just throughout the day. I have taken hair, skin and nail vitamins which contain loads of proteins and amino acids but that has not helped. My hair used to be very full and thick and is now very thin and in some places like on the back of my scalp it is falling out.....I can feel the difference when I run my hands through my hair. I am only 19 years of age, I have gotten thermal reconditioning (from a very good salon) and also dye my hair occasionally. These issues are from before I got any of these procedure done. I do not feel that these have caused the issues...in fact I am confident that they haven't because I've seen the problems before I've done anything of the sort to my hair. I also have very rough facial skin for a women and my finger and toe nails are yellowish. I used to have serious acne on my back, chest and face but that is all resolved (on its own). I am Pakistani in heritage and have hyperpigmentation issues all over my body, also have excessive hair growth all over my body (including facial,chest,abdomen,upper and lower back...everywhere except on hands and feet), for which I am undergoing laser hair removal treatments at the American Laser Center. I credit the laser treatments to a resolve of most of my body and facial hair issues, and some of my hyperpigmentation issues. I am putting all of this information into this post because I feel the more information the merrier when looking for a diagnosis. Please help me find the cause....my life is already much too complicated to have to deal with a new issue every day. I have searched and searched and asked and asked every doctor I can about my problems and the only answer I get is....it's all in your mind...or it will fix itself.

Thank you Dxd for your post. My hirsutism is certainly not genetic or heredetary because all the women in my family are generally hair free. Even the men have less hair, we actually make fun of it.In that case, I would certainly investigate the following causes of hirsutism:Hirsutism may also be due to hormone imbalances, which can have several causes: • polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) is a common condition that is often linked with obesity and abnormal menstrual periods• Cushing syndrome, a condition in which there is too much of a hormone called corticosteroid in the blood• certain tumors that can occur in the pituitary gland, the ovary, and adrenal gland. The pituitary gland is located inside the skull and is attached to the brain. The two adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. Both glands secrete sex hormones and hormones that are important for metabolism.• some medications, such as oral contraceptives, testosterone or steroids, which can cause hormone imbalancesALL OVER BODY hyperpigmentation can be a sign of adrenal insufficiency.

Have Faith!: My calcium is perfectly fine. I just recently had it checked, along with a full blood workup.Dxd and Taylordealwithit: I am actually going to print out both of your replies and take them to the doctors office with me...so that I can give her a good idea of what could be the "real" causes...rather than just having her tell me I have nothing to worry about and it'll fix itself.Thank you all so much, you are all so sweet for trying to help me.God bless.

i have some of the same problems that you do...i recently noticed that i can see my scalp through my hair. My scalp is also extrememly oily. My dermatologist (i also have excessive oily skin) said it was stress at first, but I think thats actually a minimal reason. A professional salonist reccommended hair products along the line of Nioxin. check out their website through googling Nioxin and see which hair care products you fall under. I want to thank you for posting the information you had because you are not alone. Although that may not make you feel entirely better because your problems are your own- it may relieve you a tad bit to know that it is common and therefore- there are solutions. Wish you the best of luck!

Most common cause of your symptoms is seborrheic dermatitis - do a quick web search and look at pictures. Does it affect your eyebrows? 9 x out of 10 it is SDYou got PCOS ruled out which would also be pretty high on the differential list - now go to a dermatologist for the skin problem.And STOP doing stuff to your hair - any chemical or heat treatments can worsen the condition.Good luck (PS - before you start get freaked out by the other suggestions, go for the most likely and common one first).

did alot of reading, scalp pimps caused by balding hormone that produces too much oil and clogs your pores. i have very short hair, like 1-2 mm.i used a back scrubber with coarse bristles and gently exfoliated my scalp with shampoo everyday. no more pimps. the key was the manual removal of dead skin and oil resulting in the uncloging of pores.

I have found a simple solution. I use ORGANIC ROOT STIMULATOR AND SCALP SCRUB with baking soda. Check out there web site. This stuff works great. You will see the difference right away. It will solve all your scalp problems.

My daughter had hirsutism, bad acne, stretch marks, irregular periods, depression, pms, weight gain, anxiety . Gyno didn't even want to test blood! She was useless. Went to Endo next who found high testosterone, 89 on scale of 1? to 50. Endo did not even check if she had cysts on ovaries, he just diagnosed her using all the other symptoms. He put her on orthotricyclo and spironolactone which made big improvements in acne, mood, periods, stretch marks, pms, depression and has helped somewhat with hirsutism, still a ways to go there on the torso. She hasn't had any new acne break outs for many months, just gotta wait for the past scars to fade more, but it is so much better, I'm relieved. Best of all, in 8 months, 40 lbs melted off with NO diet or exercise! She eats whatever she wants and she looks fabulous now! For your hair/scalp try a shampoo called NIzoral or even Selsun Blue, leave them on a couple minutes before rinsing.I would like to know what criteria the gyno used to clear you for pcos, because it sounds very much like you have it. I think you shoud try a better endocrinologist instead.----You wrote: PCOS....I've already had that checked and was cleared of it. But I think I'll go back again and get another one done...all of my symptoms fall into this category...I don't care what the doc says.If the gynecologist clears me again for pcos then I'm definitely going to a dermatologist.....and maybe even a trichologist.

I live in New Zealand, am of Indian origin and have suffered from the same problems as you for years - as well as patches of dermatitis/eczema on my body and face, acne on my back and a few ongoing painful pimples on my face. Allopathic doctors made it worse by putting me on the contraceptive pill when I was only 14, and giving me hydrocortisone creams which actually do more harm than good (they push the skin condition back into the body so it just appears somewhere else) - this is also true for topical ointments such as antibiotic creams.I have been to many doctors and skin specialists and have found them to be not only unhelpful and short sighted in their knowledge but also horrifically expensive. At the age of 22 I was introduced to an amazing homeopath who was not only cheap (I paid $42 NZ dollars for a one hour consultation, 2 bottles of homeopathic pills and a jar of topical ointment. We normally pay $50 for just a ten minute consultation with a GP here) but also got to the root of my problems. He has over 20 years experience and has studied and trained in India as a homeopathic doctor - Homeopathy is huge in India as you may know. I suggest you do some research and find a fantastic homeopath in your area - someone with a qualification, lots of experience and a respected reputation. Also do some research into how homeopathy works (find some legitimate academic books to read online or at the library rather than searching unregulated information from websites) and you will gain some priceless knowledge about how your body really works.Also any alternative practitioner will say not to use anything chemical on your skin or hair. You may get immediate relief but it will cause problems in the long term. There are plenty of affordable natural alternatives you can use instead. Research the net or go into your local health stores and ask for advice. Just be aware there are a few essential oils (e.g peppermint, eucalyptus) that interfere with homeopathic remedies so again do your research and check that they are not in the ingredients of the products you make or purchase.Good luck!

check into PCOS........... just heard about it... from what i understand we r insulin resistant and not diabetic... WTF! All i know so far is that 3 consecutive sessionsof microderm and chemical peels and religious use of bella derm products helped my skin but six months later my skin is oily again. I use nioxin from time to time when my scalp starts getting too oily too quick and in between I use Aussie's cleanse and mend shampoo and conditioner and it helps me make it thru these shenannigans... somewhatno dandruff here but i can see my scalp thru my bangs more and more... PCos matches alot of symptoms mentioned by all

I have all of these issues and have gone to my hormone doctor (andochrinologist, hope I spelled that correctly), and gynecologist to rule out hormonal factors such as high or low testosterone levels or sensitivity to certain hormones and all other hormonal factors and also to rule out PCOS, cysts and other diseases which can cause all of these issues. All of my doctors have said that everything is fine with me...none the less my hormone doctor prescribed metformin for something to do with the pancreas which he didn't put much effort into explaining to me. My scalp/hair gets oily after just one day and I always have to shampoo twice while in the shower to get rid of all of the debri/oil. I have a seriously itchy scalp with tons of scalp pimples that cause pain and irritation all over my scalp and I lose atleast 2-3 handfuls of hair during each shower and generally lose 1-2 handfuls of hair while brushing, or just throughout the day. I have taken hair, skin and nail vitamins which contain loads of proteins and amino acids but that has not helped. My hair used to be very full and thick and is now very thin and in some places like on the back of my scalp it is falling out.....I can feel the difference when I run my hands through my hair. I am only 19 years of age, I have gotten thermal reconditioning (from a very good salon) and also dye my hair occasionally. These issues are from before I got any of these procedure done. I do not feel that these have caused the issues...in fact I am confident that they haven't because I've seen the problems before I've done anything of the sort to my hair. I also have very rough facial skin for a women and my finger and toe nails are yellowish. I used to have serious acne on my back, chest and face but that is all resolved (on its own). I am Pakistani in heritage and have hyperpigmentation issues all over my body, also have excessive hair growth all over my body (including facial,chest,abdomen,upper and lower back...everywhere except on hands and feet), for which I am undergoing laser hair removal treatments at the American Laser Center. I credit the laser treatments to a resolve of most of my body and facial hair issues, and some of my hyperpigmentation issues. I am putting all of this information into this post because I feel the more information the merrier when looking for a diagnosis. Please help me find the cause....my life is already much too complicated to have to deal with a new issue every day. I have searched and searched and asked and asked every doctor I can about my problems and the only answer I get is....it's all in your mind...or it will fix itself. There might be something wrong with your thyroid levels. Either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. This causes hair loss, weight changes, changes in skin & brittle yellow nails. A simple blood test could rule this out.